Eight Isn't Enough: West Essex Plays Shorthanded

The odds were stacked against the West Essex 17-and-under traveling baseball team even before it took the field Tuesday evening.

With just eight available players, coach Angelo Angelo had to try to fill in the gaps.

But Livingston took advantage of the holes, in particular, the vacated center field, to post a 12-5 win at West Essex High School in a game that was called after four innings because of a coach's agreement.

Angelo hopes the missing players return for the sixth-seeded Knights' opening-round league playoff game at third-seeded Scotch Plains-Fanwood Wednesday at 5:45 p.m.

Angelo has become frustrated by the lack of participation by some members of the team and it cost West Essex (4-6-1) against Livingston (8-4-1).

The Knights had just two outfielders—Anthony Romito in left and Aristotle Michalaki in right—and Livingston took advantage with several hits that either dropped into a huge gap in center or ground balls slapped up the middle.

Livingston scored eights runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth to take a 12-1 lead. But West Essex responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame as Romito and Jason Russo each recorded RBI singles and two other runs scored on a throwing error.

"We did end on a positive note," Angelo said. "The fact we had only eight guys show up—words like frustration and disappointment come to mind, but I guess that's summer baseball.

"The guys didn't want to stop playing, but it was really for the best interest in the team,'' Angelo added.

Russo, who'll be a freshman in the fall, showed an early spark. He struck out swinging to start the second, but reached first on a wild pitch. He then stole second and third and came home on Joe Damiano's groundout to tie the game at 1.

"I was just trying to help my team," said Russo, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI. "We only had eight guys, so we had to play as hard as we could."

Angelo praised Russo's athleticism and maturity, considering he's one of the team's youngest players.

"He's just a natural athlete," Angelo said. "He's an outstanding football player. He usually bats in the leadoff spot and makes plays."

Starting pitcher Nour Aly retired Livingston in order in the first, but an infield error, a stolen base and an RBI single by Dylan McCauley in the second scored the first run of the game. Catcher Jesse Feldman threw to Damiano to catch McCauley, who tried to steal third base.

A couple of errors and two routine fly balls to center—that were hits since there was no in the position—were part of the long Livingston third.

"It's really tough with eight guys, but all eight of our guys here tonight have been here all season," said Romito, the team captain. "You have to do what you can and with having eight guys it makes it harder."

The team had 16 players to start of the season, but several have been on vacation and others have played with other teams.

"I'm going to text everybody who didn't come," Romito said.